Wildfire Smoke Update
forSunday, August 4, 2013 5:20 PM

Warmer and drier air has moved into the North Rockies today with much sunnier skies. Temperatures are in the upper-70s to low 90s with relative humidity values generally ranging from the teens to low 30s. Skies are hazy over the Bitterroot Valley, parts of southwestern Montana, and the Billings region, but air quality is GOOD at all reporting locations this afternoon.

Air quality is expected to remain GOOD across all locations through the night. From Monday through mid-next week, high atmospheric winds will blow generally from the northwest across central and eastern Montana, and from the west/northwest across western Montana. Temperatures will be hot and relative humidity values will be moderately low. Afternoon winds will become gusty at times. Fire activity will be average for at least the first half of the work week and smoke will remain visible across much of the state except for extreme northwestern Montana and along parts of the central hi-line. Air quality should remain generally GOOD from hour-to-hour, but there may be cumulative MODERATE impacts across the valleys of far western and southwestern Montana.

Warmer and drier air has moved into the North Rockies today with much sunnier skies. Temperatures are in the upper-70s to low 90s with relative humidity values generally ranging from the teens to low 30s. Skies are hazy over the Bitterroot Valley, parts of southwestern Montana, and the Billings region, but air quality is GOOD at all reporting locations this afternoon.

Residents near active fires and under plumes aloft need to remain aware of current
conditions and use the visibility guidelines
to guide their activity decisions as the situation changes.

This is the visible satellite image from 4:30 this afternoon showing mostly sunny skies across Montana.

The horizon is a bit hazy again over Billings today, but monitored air quality in town reads GOOD.

This morning’s analysis from NOAA’s satellite services division shows the active fires in Montana and the smoke plumes combining and spreading downwind (the analyzed smoke is based on yesterday’s satellite coverage, the fire detects are based on last nights satellite coverage).

The smoke report below compares particulate levels where information is available
to MDEQ’s
Health Effects Categories. Real time particulate information is currently available in most of the larger urban
areas from several different sources including: DEQ run PM-10 BAMS and PM2.5 BAMS,
NWS ASOS visibility monitors, and USFS remote access Nephelometers and BAMS. These advisories represent conditions between
midnight and 8 AM and may change substantially throughout the day.

Locations and severity of forest fire smoke reports since midnight of the date above
at reporting stations.

Local impacts in areas immediately adjacent to active fires are expected to exceed
some or all of the advisory levels. DEQ recommends the use of local
visibility guidelines to evaluate possible health risks and make informed
activity decisions.